"Hmm... Although I've found her, how should I approach her without seeming too abrupt?" Yun Fan rubbed his chin, his gaze subtly sweeping over Qingque and her friends.
Although Qingque was known for slacking off at work and not putting much effort into her duties, her intelligence was undoubtedly top-notch. Even Fu Xuan held her in high regard. If not for her lazy and laid-back personality, she might already be a candidate for the position of Diviner.
After all, this girl had genuinely earned her place in the Divination Commission through her own abilities. During her studies, no matter the exam, her scores were always a steady 60, without fail. This wasn't something just any top student could achieve.
"Ah, I'm overcomplicating things. Why not just use the power of causality?" Yun Fan chuckled, then turned his gaze to the man sitting across from Qingque, his eyes faintly glowing.
At the same moment the light in Yun Fan's eyes faded, the man opposite Qingque suddenly looked uneasy. After a few more rounds, his face turned ashen.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Qingque noticed his discomfort and asked with concern.
Had he played the wrong tile? But even if he had, his expression shouldn't be this bad.
"I... I..." The man hesitated, feeling as though his stomach was churning violently. It seemed that with just a little more pressure, he would experience a "torrential release."
That's right. Yun Fan had used the power of causality to impose the "cause" of spoiled lunch on him. And now, the "effect" had arrived.
"I... I just remembered there's something urgent at home. I'll have to leave. This round counts as my loss, and the stakes can be recorded!" The man quickly pushed the tiles on the table into disarray and fled without looking back.
"Hey, wait...!" Qingque tried to call out, but all she could see was his retreating figure.
"Ugh, what's going on?" The female player sighed helplessly and also pushed her tiles aside.
"Haha, nature calls. You know how it is," the other male player said with a laugh.
"But now we're short a player. I finally managed to sneak some time off while the Diviner is away, and now we're stuck with three players. This is so frustrating..." Qingque sighed, tapping her tiles idly as her eyes wandered around the parlor, hoping to find someone to fill the empty seat.
"Huh?" Suddenly, Qingque's eyes lit up.
Amid the bustling parlor, a handsome young man had appeared at some point. His short, neat hair, star-like eyes, and calm, elegant smile... Even Qingque, who was usually uninterested in anything beyond slacking off, felt her heart skip a beat. Was this... the feeling of attraction?
"Hey there, are you here alone? I'm Qingque. Want to join us for a few rounds of the thrilling 'Divine Jade Tiles'?" Qingque left her seat and approached Yun Fan in a few steps, greeting him with familiarity. In her mind, she thought, 'Is this guy an outsider? His clothes don't look like they're from the Luofu. But... he's really handsome!'
"Oh? Hello, Miss Qingque. I'm Yun Fan, and yes, I'm alone. However, I'm not very familiar with 'Divine Jade Tiles,' so I'm afraid I can't join in the fun."
"No problem, I can teach you!" Qingque raised her head confidently and patted her flat chest.
"Then I'll trouble you. Please."
"Please."
As they returned to the table, Yun Fan took a seat and politely greeted the other two players. Under Qingque's guidance, he began learning the rules of Divine Jade Tiles.
"Those are all the rules. Got it? If not, I can explain again," Qingque said after finishing her explanation, looking at Yun Fan, who was deep in thought.
"No need to explain again. I understand the rules now," Yun Fan shook his head, signaling that Qingque didn't need to repeat herself. The game wasn't much different from the mahjong he had played in his previous life. The only difference was the patterns on the tiles, but that didn't affect much.
"Alright, since it's your first time playing, how about we skip the stakes?" Qingque asked, directing the last part to the other two players, as it was a group decision.
"Sure, since it's the young man's first time, we can skip the stakes," the fox-eared female player said, her eyes sparkling with admiration for Yun Fan's looks.
"Huh? No stakes? I definitely... uh, I agree..." The other male player initially wanted to refuse, but under the murderous gazes of the two women, he swallowed his words.
"Haha, no need for that. Let's keep the stakes as usual," Yun Fan said with a smile.
"Eh? But..."
"Don't underestimate me. I'm quite confident in my ability to learn."
"Besides, I'm not short on credits." Yun Fan pulled out his phone and showed everyone the balance in his account. When they saw the string of zeros, they all gasped.
The amount of credits in his account was something they couldn't earn in ten lifetimes!
"Alright then, let's play." Seeing this, Qingque didn't object anymore. Now, she just wanted to get closer to this young man. He was a golden opportunity she couldn't miss!
A few rounds later...
"Kong Shang Kai Hua... Eighteen Arhats, I win!"
Yun Fan pushed his tiles forward and took the last chip from the stunned Qingque.
"You... Are you really playing for the first time?" Qingque looked at Yun Fan with a mix of awe and fear. His skill and luck were simply too overwhelming.
"Yes, this is indeed my first time playing Divine Jade Tiles," Yun Fan nodded.
"Freak," Qingque couldn't help but mutter. But when she remembered the multiplier from that last round, her face twisted in despair.
Eighteen Arhats... 256 times the stakes... She'd be working for free for the next ten years...